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THE MONTCLARION The Student Voice of Montclair State University Since 1928

Vol.

91

Issue 25 April 19, 2012

On the web at: www.the Montclarion.org

SDS Occupies Quad in Tuition Protest

The Montclarion | Joey Cohen

Carlo Rossi is one of the students camping out in protest of the tuition hikes.

Catherine Baxter News Editor

In protest of recent tuition hikes, the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) set up tents in the quad on Monday. Calling the protest “Occupy MSU,” the SDS plans on staying in the quad from until Friday.

About six tents occupy the far end of the Student Center quad. A big banner that reads “Protect Education: We Are the Foundation!” is strung between the trees, along with signs that read, “Wake up MSU! Your diploma should not be your death sentence!”

There is also a table that the SDS set up to encourage other students to join in their movement. They have set up a petition that they are encouraging students to sign in protest of the anticipated tuition increase.

The SDS plans on interacting with students

Dunkin' Donuts Comes to Blanton

and spreading awareness about the current situation regarding the possibility of another raise in the tuition for MSU students.

“We’re trying to raise awareness for student debt and the increasing tuition,” said Nick Mimikos, sophomore.

The SDS has other motives in addition to protesting the tuition hike. “[We are here] to provide an alternate community where we live up to our ideal,” said Lisa Grab, president of the SDS. “We give our free SDS Continued on Page 6

Red Hawk Dollars Go Off-Campus

The Montclarion | Kyle Bellevue The Montclarion | Jennifer Soto

Construction is underway in Blanton to make room for the new dining services.

Ethan Fria Staff Writer

Students have mixed feelings about the planned additions to the new dining spots in Blanton Hall, which is expected to be open by the fall semester.

Although construction on the dining hall has not yet begun, a few features

of Blanton are already being planned. The planned features include a quick service restaurant, a Coffee Concept, a combination sub shop and c-store and, as rumors around campus have hinted, an in-house Dunkin' Donuts. All of the planned additions will accept cash, credit, flex dollars and Red

Hawk dollars.

The designs for the dining hall have been in the works for a few months.

The estimated construction time will be from 90 to 125 days.

Campus life will change just as much as Blanton Hall once it reopens. AnBlanton Continued on Page 5

Students can add money to their accounts at machines in the Student Center, College Hall and the library.

Mike Conforti Staff Writer

The reopening of Blanton Hall is joined by various new meal plans offering students the opportunity to take advantage of the new dining options.

Beginning next semester, the spotlight will be on Red Hawk dollars which

INSIDE

news

Math Emporium Opens in Schmitt Hall

pg. 4

feature

How to Be a Savvy Shopper

pg. 8

a&e

The Long-Awaited Debut of Fez

pg. 18

opinion Behind Every Great Man

pg. 15

will be accepted at several shops and restaurants offcampus.

Matt Chapman, chair of the food committee on SGA, has played an integral role as liaison between students and the administration.

“All in all, I think this was a brilliant move by our dinDollars Continued on Page 5

sports Teams Start Final Push for NBA Playoffs

pg. 28

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The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

The Montclarion Montclair State University 113 Student Center Annex Montclair, New Jersey 07043 Editor-in-Chief: (973) 655-5230 Managing Editor: (973) 655-5282 News Dept: (973) 655-5169 Main office: (973) 655-5241 Fax: (973) 655-7804

Pelican Police Report

Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Katherine Milsop Managing Editor Katie Winters Business Manager Ernest Marateo

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Production Editor Carley Hussain

Editorial Board

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News Ratanjot Rekhi Catherine Baxter Feature Lindsay Rassmann

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A&E Alan Vallee O p i n io n Jacob Mercer-Pontier

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S p orts Nick Verhagen Chief Copy Zachary Bridge Steph Milot P h o t o gra p h y Joey Cohen Graphic Design Erica Krivda Webmaster Ian Elliott Web Editor Craig McCarthy Editorial Cartoonist Josef Trajanoski

Assistants Opinion Alexa Coppola Monika Bujas A&E Rashard Bradshaw Sports Kendall Zoppa Nick Patriarca Jay Hrina Copy Nicholas Taylor

1 of Panzer Gymnasium. This matter is under investigation.

Perez, 21, of Belleville, was charged with defiant trespass in 2 On April 11: Frank the University Bookstore. He is scheduled to appear in Little Falls

On April 10: A male student reported the theft of his backpack from the bleachers

Municipal Court.

Zelasko, 25, of Jamesburg, was arrested and charged with aggra3 On April 11: Lisa vated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct while attending an event at Memorial Auditorium. She is scheduled to appear in Little Falls Municipal Court.

Writers and Contributors Stephanie Agudelo, Mike Confortia, Ethan Fria, Kristin Schmidt, Jeff Onorato, David Acosta, Alexis Antico, Liouxsie Doyle, Nick Taylor, Vincent Romagnulo, Steve Ricci, Mike Lee, A. Vivela Garza-Gomez, Chelsea Masterson, Corey Aron, Travis Lancaster, Taylor Zuppa, Mike Panepinto, Selcinah Brodie, Raeshelle Middeton, Dylan Soltis, Thomas Meyer, Nicole Duque, Tatiana Stec, James Carpenter, Jaber Chaudry, and Katherine Oakes.

Operations Manager Kevin Schwoebel

Faculty Advisor Marc Rosenweig

contact us

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On April 12: A male student reported the theft of his unsecured iPhone from the

lounge inside of University Hall. This matter is under investigation.

On April 12: A female student reported the theft of her unsecured wallet from a

classroom inside of Calcia Hall. This matter is under investigation.

5 On April 14: A female student reported being harassed and assaulted by a known 6 person. The victim declined to file charges in this matter.

7 On April 15:

A staff member reported an act of criminal mischief inside of Life Hall. Paint had been discovered on a piece of furniture and the floor.

This matter is under investigation.

Editor-in-Chief monteditor@gmail.com Managing Editor msumanaging@gmail.com Business Manager montclarionbiz@gmail.com

Anyone who has information regarding these incidents is urged to call the police station from any campus phone at T-I-P-S (8477).

All calls are strictly confidential.

Production Editor msuproduction@gmail.com News Editor msunews@gmail.com Feature Editor msufeature@gmail.com Arts and Entertainment Editor msuarts@gmail.com Opinion Editor msuopinion@gmail.com Sports Editor montclarionsports@gmail.com Photo Editor montphotoeditor@gmail.com

7 The Montclarion The Montclarion is a freely distributed newspaper providing one copy per person.

Additional copies are $0.25.

Graphics Editor msugraphics@gmail.com Copy Editor montcopy@gmail.com Webmaster msuwebmaster@gmail.com Web Editor montwebeditor@gmail.com Operations Manager montclarionads@gmail.com The Montclarion is a publication of Montelican Publishing, Inc. Published weekly, except during examinations, summer and winter sessions, The Montclarion is funded by student fees distributed by Montclair State University and incoming advertising revenue. The views expressed in the Opinion section, with the exception of the Main Editorial, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Montclarion. The first edition of The Montclarion, then named The Pelican, was published on November 28, 1928.

Corrections The Montclarion willingly corrects its factual errors. If you think we've made a mistake in a story, please call Editor-in-Chief Katherine at ext.

5230.

April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

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The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

Math Emporium Opens in Schmitt Hall

The Montclarion | Jennifer Soto

Students can seek the help they need at the new math learning center.

Stephanie Agudelo Staff Writer

Montclair State University creates a new approach to learning mathematics with their highly successful Red Hawk Mathematics Learning Center located on the third floor of Conrad J. Schmitt Hall. The learning center has had an overwhelming amount of positive feedback because it combines one-on-one instruction, technological assistance and focus groups to help students succeed.

The idea for the Center came during the construction of Schmitt Hall and was presented to President Susan Cole, who then approved the idea of a “mathematics emporium.”

The term “mathematics emporium” originated at Virginia Polytechnic Institution and is based on the idea that technology can be used to aid students in the instructional and learning process of a mathematics course.

This ad concept been9:26 used 16362 Montclair v1_Layouthas 1 3/15/12 AM at many universities and has been

very successful at increasing students’ pass rates and learning potential.

The Learning Center is currently in its first semester, offering two courses, Math 100 and 061, and assisting about 300 students on campus. The number of students utilizing the Center is expected to increase next year with the addition of three new courses. Although the Center remains focused on the assistance of technology, Catherine Holl-Cross, the Center's director, said that some classic learning tactics will remain the same.

“Students will still be expected to use paper and pencil in some courses and will continue to learn in that way. They must complete at least 80 percent of their assignments and they have instructors and graduate students assisting them through the process,” she said.

Another way the Learning Center takes an innovative approach to1mathematics is by creating focus Page groups, allowing students to work

with multiple instructors and assistants and using a cup system.

Students from each course can take part in break out focus groups where they receive additional assistance and stay on track throughout the semester. Holl-Cross also explained that when a student needs assistance with an assignment they place a red cup next to them to alert nearby instructors that they need help; blue cups are displayed when a student is taking a quiz.

However, what seems to make this emporium most effective is the face-to-face interaction it provides between the instructors and the students. With an estimated one instructor per 12 students, assistance is never too far out of reach for course members.

“There are definitely more resources in this course than there were in high school math courses.

Here there’s more visual assistance and there are more instructors who are always here to help you, ” said freshman Jordan Jimenez.

The Learning Center's motto is “learn math by doing math!” because applying math skills to real world problems or calculations can prove to be more helpful throughout the learning process. Holl-Cross even explains that some exercises can be geared towards certain majors like business and science majors enrolled in the course. In this way, students are learning to solve problems that they feel can actually apply to real life situations.

Next year, the Learning Center expects to assist about 2,000 students in their courses. So far, students as well as instructors have responded very well to the new learning approach.

Garrett Nieddu, graduate student and course assistant, said, “I like the one-on-one aspect of the Learning Center. Most of the time we talk to larger groups of students, but we assist them one on one and it’s good because everyone can work at their own pace and still get the help they need.”

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April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

Blanton cation major, said, “I feel everybody runs on Dunkin'. I’d love to wake up to the fresh-brewed coffee smell of deliciousness. I do have one issue, however: in addition to using swipes, flex dollars and Red Hawk dollars, I think we should be able to use the constant pass. Sometimes I don’t even want to go the dining hall; I feel constrained by the limited food choices. My taste buds ache for a different taste."

“It’d be cool to have more than just Sam's as an option to eat, but at the same time, is it going to be the same food that’s already at the Café Diem? I like the idea because it gives students another spot to hang out,” said Mat Vandenheuvel, a fashion studies major.

The coming weeks should bring more information about the projects taking place in Blanton Hall. Anyone with further questions regarding the construction should contact the Auxiliary Services office located on the first floor of the Student Center.

The Montclarion | Jennifer Soto

Employees have gone to work changing the face of what students knew as Blanton Hall.

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Dollars

Continued From Page 1

drew J. Pignataro, director of Auxiliary Services, Student Development and Campus Life, said, “Anytime MSU adds a new dining venue or retrofits an older [one], it’s with the best interest of the students in mind. Bringing Blanton back online will be great for everyone, not just residential students; [all] students will have more variety and choices of places to dine."

The issue of variety has come up often on campus. The possibility of dining options, especially the idea of a Dunkin' Donuts on campus, has piqued the interest of students.

Some students are hesitant about the idea of a Dunkin' Donuts on campus. “Is my tuition money going into this Dunkin' Donuts? I don’t see the need for a corporate entity on campus. I would prefer my tuition money to go into providing better services at the current establishments,” Tom Mika, a junior filmmaking major said.

However, others are excited for the presence of a Dunkin' Donuts.

Mathew Manglona, a history edu-

news

Continued From Page 1

Students can now use Red Hawk Dollars in the following locations: -MSU Dining Services facilities -University Bookstore -Sprague Library copy machines -On campus vending machines -ID Card Office -TBD off-campus locations, such as the gas station and ShopRite ing services to give students more selection with their meal plans,” he said.

In turn, this allows students to select a more informed meal plan.

“This will also help out people in the Village because now they will be able to use their Red Hawk dollars to purchase groceries at one of the local supermarkets, rather than be forced to buy swipes or constant pass.”

Students who live in Sinatra and the Village often cite the nuisance of waiting for a shuttle to get to any place to use their meal plans.

Claudia Veres, a Village resident, would rather invest her money into food to cook in her own kitchen. “I feel like I’m forced to beg my parents for money so I can actually use this kitchen that they give us here.

Otherwise, I have to begin an hourlong adventure to campus to use a meal plan that I was less than excited to pay for,” she said.

For students who are unhappy with tuition hikes, it encourages optimism as the university continues to expand the scope of Montclair’s college experience.

Freshman Drew Doelp is excited about his remaining years at the school. “Students complain about a lot, but from my perspective, the administration here has seemed to

work tirelessly to improve my experience here. These "Off Campus Solutions" will come in handy a lot,” he said.

Universities across the nation have already seen great success with similar programs. Pennsylvania State University uses LionCash in connection with local businesses to promote a sense of community and offer students a wider range of choices.

Penn State alumnus Robert Schaeffer highlighted the overall success of LionCash. “It never felt like you were spending your own money. In reality, all you had to do was pick the right meal plan and LionCash was available everywhere you went – stores, movie theatres, bowling alleys, pizzerias – you name it, they had it. Once students at Montclair realize its usefulness, it’ll be a big hit,” he explained.

The underlying concept of Off Campus Solutions is a utilization of Red Hawk Dollars within the community as a type of debit card.

Parents can assist their children in deciding what meal plan is right for them, and they can select Red Hawk dollars accordingly.

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Summer Term Interested in a class or two?

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For more information visit:

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SDS

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

New Thinking Course Makes Students More Creative

Photo courtesy of montclair.edu.

Dr. Fails of the Computer Science Department is one of the supporters of the course.

Kristin Schmidt Contributing Writer

A new course that promises to improve students' thought processes is being offered during the summer semester: Creative Thinking, taught by Dr. Ashwin Vaidya.

Creative Thinking, which will be taught from May 14 to June 7, will have students building a portfolio of creative work in a variety of forms, such as poetry, prose and fiction.

Some feel the class has the potential to be uniquely useful to students.

“I think this class will be an experience that will be useful to an individual’s own ability and sense that will enable them to learn about their own creativity that they've never seen before,” Tiffany Ingraham, a Montclair State University alumna said.

Not only does Creative Thinking offer the opportunity for students to express themselves in a classroom setting, but it also promises real world applications by giving students clear vision, imagination, creativity and innovation by expanding their minds.

The course will challenge students to imagine new solutions to problems. It will practice techniques such as brainstorming and thinking in depth.

Vaidya, a member of the department of mathematical sciences, will be teaching the course.

The course description describes this course as "the myth that strikes like a bolt of lightning or a stroke of genius."

Creative Thinking is a threecredit elective course that is open to all students.

“It seems like it could have potential to be interesting, although not quite sure what kind of work will be assigned or what exactly it entails,” Justin Gewirtz, an MSU alumnus, stated.

Creative Thinking promises to teach students skills that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Students can now register for summer courses online by logging into their WESS account and selecting the "Summer 2012" term.

Continued From Page 1

education and food, entertainment and a place to sleep if they need it.

This raises awareness that another way of life is possible. It brings people together, too. A lot of events at MSU don’t unite over issues; this gives people a place to talk about their issues.”

Grab also shared that many people feel that the SDS is solely protesting President Susan Cole and the University. However, this is not the case. “Student debt and tuition hikes affect the staff and faculty also, not just us,” said Grab. “We’re not only asking for lower tuition just to Susan Cole. We’re also calling out to legislation and the governor.”

Although not many students showed up for the campout, the students who are involved have not been discouraged. Their presence in the quad has not faltered since they first set up.

Even though the university did not technically “approve” the campout, the SDS is still allowed to remain in the quad. “The university is allowing this group, in the same way that it allows other groups that are not affiliated with the SGA or even the university in some cases, to be present on campus to express their views through a demonstration,” said Dr. Karen Pennington, vice president for student development and campus life.

However, Grab noted that although the SDS has permission to

stay in the quad, they are not allowed to sleep in their tents. “They gave us permission, but they told us if we stay in the tents overnight, we have to pay a cop,” said Grab. “We have to sleep outside of the tents to stop that from happening.”

The police were also notified of this event. However, the university did not have to make a special notification. “The police will monitor this event in the same way that monitors other events on campus,” said Pennington.

According to Pennington, there are also still regulations that the SDS must follow. “The group must abide by all university policies, including those regulating outdoor demonstrations and the agreement they signed with the Dean of Students Office,” said Pennington. “Any individual who fails to comply with federal and/or state regualtions, or the lawful request of a University Police officer, is subject to arrest.”

Other colleges have also joined in the nicknamed “tent movement,” including Rutgers and Rowan. The movement is designed to show that students will not support the debt that tuitions hikes are putting them in.

Ultimately, the SDS is attempting to show MSU students that it is easy to come together. SDS memberJustin Wooten, said that uniting is important: “We are strongest when we unite.”

The Montclarion | Joey Cohen

Students are occupying the quad in camping tents.

April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

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Next @ The College of the Arts Apr. 22 • 3:00p.m.

John J. Cali School of Music

MSU Jazz Band Alexander Kasser Theater

Apr. 22 • 7:30p.m.

John J. Cali School of Music

MSU Symphony Orchestra Alexander Kasser Theater

Apr. 28 • 8:00p.m. | Apr. 29 • 3:00p.m.

John J. Cali School of Music

MSU Opera Workshop Alexander Kasser Theater

Apr. 30 • 7:30p.m.

John J. Cali School of Music

An Evening of Chamber Music

973-655-5112 | www.peakperfs.org *Undergraduate students at MSU receive one ticket at no additional charge to every event through the Performing Arts Fee with their valid student I.D.

Photo: Montclair State University/Mike Peters.

Alexander Kasser Theater

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The Montclarion

FEature

msufeature@gmail.com

Poli Sci Professor Saves Babies with Benefit Named “Top Walker” by March of Dimes campaign Nicole Duque Staff writer

Beginning its mission in 1958 to prevent birth defects in babies throughout the United States, the March of Dimes is a non-profit foundation that seeks the day when every baby is born healthy. Since 1973, the March of Dimes has also committed to research for prevention of infant mortality and premature birth.

Educating the public and medical professionals on the best practices for healthy babies, the foundation has promoted newborn screening as well as having led the way to discovering the genetic causes of birth defects.

In 2003, the rate of premature birth was tremendously high and was continuing to rise, which demanded action. The March of Dimes responded with their intensive multi-year Prematurity Campaign, initially designed to increase public awareness about the issue and to reduce the preterm birth rate by the minimum of 15 percent by 2010.

Despite successfully raising awareness, the preterm birth rate did not decrease. In 2005, the foundation officially included prematurity to its mission. Three years later it lengthened the Prematurity Campaign to the year 2020 in an effort to implement an additional public policy as

Professor Uribe from the department of Political Science and Law is hosting a benefit to support the March of Dimes.

well as scientific and clinical advances to resolve the problem.

The March of Dimes’ effective promotions for newborn screening has led to near-complete approved coverage in all states for 30 serious disorders and has raised approximately one hundred million dollars in donations. From their Prematurity Awareness Month (in November) to the annual March for Babies and national Prematurity Research Initiative to numerous local community grants throughout the United States, the foundation is very proud of its commitment to aid every baby with the help of generous donations by citizens.

Named “Top Walker” by Hudson County of New Jersey in 2010-2011, Fernando Uribe, a Montclair State University faculty member in the Department of Political Science and

Law, began volunteering for the foundation in 2007.

Uribe has always been interested in charity work, contributing positivity to his community and hosting annual events to support various organizations, all through his free will. To support the March of Dimes, Uribe is hosting his annual public event on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at the Liberty Lounge & Grill in Hoboken, NJ beginning at 9 p.m. for adults 21 and older.

The event, as Uribe describes, is to, “promote the importance of March of Dimes” as it is “fun and harmless, it’s all for a good cause.”

This event has been running since 2008 having had an average of 75 people attending per year. As of yet, he has raised an average of $3,000 both at his events and on his personal page for March for Babies.

This year, as Uribe has been doing since 2010, the event will have a date auction. Thirteen women and two men will participate, and those who attend will have the chance to bid on any of them —the winner gets a date with the contestant using restaurant gift certificates that are donated by local Hoboken restaurants.

There have been detractors however, who claim his work to be pointless. In response to the negative vibes, he says, “I am more concerned with helping babies and women than tolerating pettiness about the concept regarding my event.”

“While people just want to sit back and criticize, which isn’t being productive,” explains Uribe, “I try to do something to change the world, I am productive.” He further adds that those who do not agree to his methods are “losing sight of the big picture.”

If bidding is not what you would like to do, there will be a donation box available for any generous donations. All proceeds will go to the March of Dimes directly the next morning.

If you cannot attend and want to make a donation, it is highly encouraged that you visit www.marchforbabies.org/furibe and help make a difference today!

How to be a Savvy Shopper

Helpful tips to save money shopping this summer

Images courtesy of Google.

Tatiana Stec Staff Writer

Everyone loves to save money, but it’s not that easy when you enter your favorite store and find that todie-for pair of peep toe heels or that must-have black blazer. Even if the price is full retail, there is always a way to buy a product from a retail store for some sort of discount — coming prepared with your smart phone, coupons and a good attitude will only make it easier!

1. Ask associates about sales When walking into a retail store, ask an associate or manager if they are having special sales that day or any upcoming sales. Ask them to point out which sections are for sale items. Also, some stores offer a discount when you open one of their store credit cards. Ask an associate about it and decide if having a credit account would be worth the discount. Additionally, ask if they have a savings or point card that offers price reductions if you shop there frequently. Learning the return/exchange policy of stores is also good just in case there is an issue about returning or exchanging.

You should always be kind and respectful to associates and managers because when they start to recognize you as a regular customer, they will become more helpful and nicer to you. It doesn’t hurt to ask questions if it saves you money!

2. Do Research and Come Prepared

If a retail store has a website, find the product and check if the price online is the same in stores.

This is where your smart phone comes in handy because you can access the website while you’re in the store. Many retailers will honor the online price and offer you the price adjustment. Also, if two different stores are selling the exact item for different prices and the store with the item for less doesn’t have your size, ask the other store if they can match the competitor’s price if you show them proof that the item is on sale —this only applies if the products are the exact brand, color and size. For example, Macy’s carries Steve Madden shoes. If Macy’s is selling a specific pair of sandals for $89.95 and the Steve Madden retail store has the exact sandals for $99.95, Steve Madden will give the customer a price adjustment if they can take a picture (smart phone again) of the shoe, style name and price.

3. Coupons are your best friends The main way to receive coupons from retailers is joining their mailing list. Not only do they send coupons through email and postal mail, they inform customers about upcoming sales and promotions held online and in-stores. Some retailers even offer a student and/or military discount if you have your I.D. on you.

Certain retailers and food vendors offer discounts for mall employees.

Another easy way to get coupons is

the Internet. If you Google “printable coupons” you can find endless blogs and websites that offer printable coupons and promotional coupon codes that can be used instores and online. Sometimes when you enter a retail store and they are having a sale online, you can ask an associate if the store will honor your online coupon.

4. Always keep receipts You should keep your receipts organized in your wallet while you shop because it is possible that the item will go on sale after you buy it.

Retailers offer price adjustments if you bought an item for full price and the item is currently on sale if it is within the time frame listed in their store policy — usually within two weeks from the purchase date. Also, if you find a coupon that you could have used in a recent purchase, some retailers will honor the coupon if you have your receipt.

5. Damaged or display items If you find an item that is a display model or has a slight defect, see if the store can offer a discount for it.

For example, if you want to buy a handbag and the only one left is the store’s window display model, ask if they can give you a percentage off.

Mention that it has been sitting in the window and has been touched or perhaps even has a stain. Most retail stores will discount the item, but they will make it final sale — so, if it has a defect, make sure you have a strategy to fix it or that it is accept-

able “as is” to you.

6. Keep an open mind Some shoppers don’t see the point in buying summer clothes during the fall or buying winter clothes during the spring. They usually have the mindset of “I’m not going to wear this anytime soon. I don’t need it.” However, clothes from a previous season go on sale for very low prices because retailers want to minimize their inventory to make room for their upcoming collections. If you find an item that you will eventually wear or an item like a sweater that goes with everything, buy it! That sweater on clearance during the summer can be used for a chilly night over a dress or tank top.

7. Smile and be respectful The most important aspect shoppers need to remember is to always be kind to retail associates because the moment a customer becomes snappy or gets a bad attitude, the associates will not want to deal with you. Remember that retail associates have experiences with good and bad customers, so if you want the best service, treat associates the way you would want to be treated. Smile and be as polite as you can be when speaking with them. If you happen to have an argument with an associate, ask either to speak to a manager or for the corporate phone number.

The money you save while using these simple tips is extra spending money you can use.

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

Keep Your Tummy and Your Wallet Full Chelsea Masterson Staff Writer

Think about your last vacation.

Now think about every restaurant you ate at. Can you remember? If you can, now think about what you ate at each. Can you remember?

Most people probably can’t.

Food, unless it was the reason for your vacation, is pretty unimportant.

You need food, but how much do you have to spend? I can probably guess the answer: too much! People waste so much money on food during their vacations. Food is necessary, but the amount you spend is not.

A great way to save money is to limit the number of meals you eat out. I’m not saying the entire trip, rather the majority. What’s On The Menu?

Breakfast: Lucky for you, most hotels offer free breakfast. They have cereal, bagels, muffins, fruit and even waffles and eggs at the complimentary breakfast. Use the breakfast to your advantage — it will save you both money and time.

Lunch: You’re out and about, seeing all of the sites and taking in the atmosphere. Now, it’s time for lunch.

Your stomach is grumbling and yelling at you to feed it. You don’t want to sit down at a restaurant because that takes up too much time. I have the solution. Pack your lunch. Before you head out for the trip, you can pack a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly and depending on how long you are traveling, cans of chicken and tuna.

None of these items require a cooler. To prevent ending up with

dry chicken or tuna bring a jar of mayo, you don’t have to keep it in the cooler, unless it is very hot.

Instead of carrying bread, which can get squished, bring a bag or two of tortillas and make wraps. You can mix in the mayo right in the can, saving you the hassle of carrying a dirty bowl or just slap on some peanut butter and jelly.

You can do all of this in the car or make it ahead of time and carry the lunch with you. If you traveled by plane, share a suitcase with someone and use the unused one to pack your food items to check in.

Dinner: The inventions of electricity and microwaves make traveling less expensive. A great item to invest in and pack with you is an electric skillet. You can make so many different types of food on this little plate — it is amazing!

On my trips, we have made chicken fajitas, hot dogs, hamburgers and reheated various dinners.

The great thing about these meals is that they are small and easy to clean. If you have the space in your suitcase, a George Forman Grill will work just as well.

Microwaves also help with cheap and easy dinners. If all of these tips are a hassle, check ahead of time for local restaurants, pizza places, cafes and diners to compare the prices before you leave!

For more travel tips and tricks check out Chelsea’s blog:

chellystravels. blogspot.com

Feature 9

Generation Y and the Environment Katherine Oakes Staff Writer

In Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill’s new film, 21 Jump Street, the two play police officers going undercover as high school students at a local school. Tatum’s character thinks he’ll have an easy time getting back on top of the pubescent pecking order, until he realizes that he is way un-cool man, for being homophobic and not caring about the environment. Or so I’ve been told. I haven’t actually seen it, but I have a good source. I laughed at the film’s timid acknowledgement of serious environmental issues, but hey, I’ll take what I can get.

The fact that this little golden nugget made it into a big-budget Hollywood film and was portrayed as something so ubiquitous, something so common place and labeled as “cool” is very interesting. Now, the homophobia part I can accept. In this day and age with all the positive publicity and attention paid to the stereotypical gay man or woman (Mean Girls’s Janice Ian and Damien, anyone?) as saturated and superficial as it may be, makes some sense, but is this really what Generation Y thinks of our planetary crisis?

So, in an effort to scope out our generation’s involvement in the movement, I spoke to a few friends about their own perspective on environmental issues.

For the most part, I got the answers I expected to get from them, which were “Yeah, I totally drive less,” “Dude, I recycle like every day, especially after the weekend,” “After watching Food Inc. I nixed the meat ASAP.” My friends aren’t from the Valley, nor are those exact quotes, so

forgive my embellishment, but you get the idea.

After discussing my friend Max’s new flexitarian diet, courtesy of Food Inc., he admitted to me that it was his overzealous gag reflex rather than a burning need to abolish animal cruelty that got him in the end. Not to say that his heartstrings weren’t tugged on, but it was mainly out of personal interest that inspired change.

As he said, “Without puking, I would have probably never cared to research cattle farming and wouldn’t have learned about carbon emissions.” I believe his honest statement can speak for many when I say that fear, more than any other motivating factor, is often the driving force behind positive environmental change.

So, we’re all looking out for number one, that’s nothing new, but should we be focused on cultivating paranoia via mass media more than instilling hope that our newfound awareness brings an enormous power for change? What can more quickly yield results: the problem or the solution? A better question perhaps, is what will Generation Y be up to in the next decade considering that our outlook is seemingly bleak at the moment?

We’ll probably all be flexitarians.

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10 Feature

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

Rebels with a Cause

Feminist street art from spray artists to guerilla knitters

Traditional graffiti done by spraycans (left) and New York City’s knitted “Charging Bull.” Images courtesy of flickr and lofiland.com

Liouxsie Doyle Staff writer

Where some see graffiti as an irrepressible form of vandalism, others, including feminists, have taken to exhibiting their marginalized opinions on billboards, train cars, brick walls and highway underpasses.

Graffiti may be perceived as the gushing of a countercultural vein.

Just as billboards and subway ads work to manufacture needs, the real desires of a community are demonstrated as spray artists respond to their surroundings with their own criticism. Feminist graffiti directly encourages critical analysis of adspace through scribbles, stencils or aerosol spray. Graffiti doesn’t always translate to fame-seeking taggers — some of it may be more advisory and private. Women have long written on bathroom stalls as a means of anonymous communication. Even with “Feminists We’re Calling You” or “Riots Not Diets” emblazoned on the streets, a secret language is being deployed to attract other women’s attention.

Outside the private sphere of bathroom graffiti, women may not be completely absent from the graffiti scene, but their presence is an anomaly. Because of this preexisting void, female writers are just as likely to conceal their identity with gender-neutral monikers as they are to emphasize their femininity with “Lil,” “Miss” or “Lady.” Many female graffiti artists are unwilling to address themselves as gendered artists because they wish to be perceived as simply great — not the “greatest female.” Gender escapes their present when their immediate priorities are “getting up” (spread-

ing their name through putting up multiple pieces) and evading arrest or assault. Miss17 and Claw are two of the most notorious writers in New York. And they achieved their reputations because, according to Claw, “Miss17 and I are not out here as ‘female writers.’ We are out to CRUSH and that has no gender specification.” Fame for graffiti writers is a contradictory concept: you want a steady reputation through multiple quality pieces, but you also need to stay anonymous. Additionally, the transient nature of graffiti makes documentation difficult for scholars who may be inclined to address its feminist merits: a piece may be buffed or tagged over within a matter of hours.

The women who do strive for writer fame must be especially diligent to get up by themselves.

Graffiti crews are close-knit communities, and if suspicion spreads that a female writer has been seeking assistance in her pieces, her legitimacy as an artist may be called into question. Though writers may bomb (paint) a train car in the spirit of a group mural, graffiti also calls upon fierce independence, and individual reputations are at the core of the community.

Where graffiti may be a problematic site for feminist activism, street art has emerged as an equally wild, somewhat mutated beast with greater acceptance of feminine and feminist involvement. Graffiti typically refers to a particular aspect of illegal art that incorporates tagging (spreading your name through repetition), bombing (spraying an elaborate piece) and reckless devotion to maintaining a reputation through impressive feats. Graffiti writers are

stereotypically working-class delinquents with more interest in garnering attention through dangerous stunts than putting up something more conventionally “high art.”

This is a flawed assumption, though there is truth to the dangerous aspects of writing. Because it is an illegal art, taggers and writers typically spray at night in unpatrolled train yards or precarious perches, like water towers or bridges; graffiti is surrounded by a hypermasculine culture of competition and bravado as writers attempt to out-piece each other.

Street art is a relatively new concept. Graffiti writers utilize Sharpies and spray paint, but street artists may deploy any number of mediums including stencils, stickers, fabric, etc; thus, street artists take more time to prepare their materials at home and are placed under less pressure to piece quickly, while worrying about dripping paint, other taggers and being caught by cops on the field. In this vein, the editor of Graffiti Women argues that street art may be more accommodating towards women, who exist as artists rather than competition. Street art may also make more direct political or social statements, as the artists are focused on the piece itself rather than her or his reputation that comes with the piece. Put simplistically, if graffiti writers are trying to make their mark, street artists are simply trying to make a mark.

On the far end of the spectrum comes yarn bombing, or guerilla knitting. Where graffiti has been criticized as predominantly male, yarn bombing is a reappropriated act of radical femininity. Instead of using spray paint or even paper and

adhesive, guerilla knitters use bright yarn to decorate cold spaces with a feminine flourish. Motives among knitters vary from wishing to make a cityscape look more “cozy” to beautifying a public space. The choice of location for bombing (in this context: fitting anything knitted around a natural or man-made monument) is just as significant to the message as the patterns or letters they spell out with yarn. In Philadelphia, the Rocky Balboa statue by the Philadelphia Museum of Art received a hooded sweater vest that read “Go See the Art.” In New York City, the notoriously masculine “Charging Bull” of Wall Street faced a similar makeover when covered completely in pink and purple.

Not only does yarn bombing take craftivism to a radical extreme, encourage female camaraderie through radical knitting circles, and give knitting street cred, it also comments on misogyny within the art world.

Historically, women who create quilts and tapestries are dismissed as crafters while their male contemporaries are hailed as “high artists” — and thus these women are denied cultural merit. Just as graffiti artists are charged as vandals, guerilla knitters fight the stigma of “crafting.”

If graffiti is a marker for the social attitudes of a community, even the simple “You are beautiful” graffiti in the women’s bathrooms at Calcia Hall are a good start for women on campus.

Whether the medium is aerosol, pens, stickers or textiles, street art, or vandalism (depending on your outlook) can be beautiful and worth a second look.

Celebrating Islamic Awareness Week Jaber Chaudry Staff writer

When you hear the word “Islam,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Terrorism? Oppressors?

Extremists? 9/11? Most of these words pop up because the media has instilled these words into our minds.

During the following days, Muslims around campus will be celebrating Islamic Awareness Week (IAW). IAW is a project that began in the early 1990s by the Muslim Student Associations (MSAs) of the United States and Canada.

The project’s goal is to clear the misconceptions that people may have about the religion of Islam. Islam is not what the media has made it. It is not a religion of terrorists; it is a religion of peace. During IAW the MSA of Montclair State University (MSU) will fund a myriad of activities that will help students around campus understand and learn more about Islam. MSU has organized numerous games and activities that

will help students learn and have fun at the same time.

On Monday, April 23, the MSA will set up its first carnival at the Student Center Quad between 12

prizes. This carnival will be in the Student Center Balcony from 12 to 5 p.m.

There will be a Q&A session on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the Student

Photos courtesy of Google.

and 5 p.m. There will be free food, water and snacks. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about Islam and will get the chance to dunk the MSA president Kyle Smith.

The following day, Tuesday the 24, another fun-packed carnival will be arranged. There will be food and

Center Dining Hall. This is your chance to ask questions about Islam.

Questions such as: Why do Muslims fast during Ramadan? Why do Muslims pray five times a day? How are Islam and Christianity similar and different? Additionally, those who sit through the entire Q&A session will have the chance to win a free iPad

through a raffle.

Are Muslims extremists? Are Muslim men oppressors? Are Muslim women property? Are Muslims terrorists? On Thursday April 26, there will be an Islamaphobia event at the Student Center Quad from 12 to 5 p.m. At this event, you can explain how you feel about Islam and why.

Finally, on Friday the 27, the MSA will hold a barbeque for all campus students. This will include Grilled Halal Meat, including burgers and hot dogs. Afterwards, the Muslims will pray this obligatory Jumma (Friday) prayer.

Increase your understanding of the fastest growing religion in the world. Learn about the meaning of Islam, the prophet of Islam and Jesus. Clear any questions and misconceptions you may have about Islam. It is a very good opportunity to see how people of different cultures and religions live their lives.

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

You’re Skyped A. Viveka Garza-Gomez Staff writer

Skype has been around for almost ten years now, so why is it so popular now? The video chat program was founded in 2003. What is so great about the program is that, it’s free and it allows you to communicate within seconds with people all over the globe. I was very late to this boat but I am Skype’s newest member. I just had my first video chat only a couple of weeks ago, with a friend of mine in Mexico.

My friend and I chatted for about an hour and the screen froze about five times which was annoying but I overlooked it, seeing as I was video chatting with a friend thousands of miles away, it seemed normal. One of Skype’s best features is that you can send instant messages and share files while you talk, making it easy to share pictures, videos, etc. It’s no wonder Skype has over 600 million subscribers worldwide.

Now, we get to the first question, why is it so popular now? Businesses have been introducing the program into their standard practices. The Chronicle did a survey that found that streaming video usage for business purposes has gone up from 12 percent to 18 percent in the last year. Companies can use Skype for business meetings to connect across the globe, or simply to include a employee who is on vacation or home sick.

In a way, Skype is one of the today’s technologies that allowed the recent increase in the number of people to work from home. And it doesn’t stop there. Companies have also utilized Skype for job interiews, as a great cost-cutting method saving companies $5,000 to $10,000 per interview.

I recently interviewed for an internship position and while it ended up happening on the phone, I was

first advised it would be over Skype.

I panicked because I had never used the program, and downloaded it immediately. At the time, I had no idea that this was an industry norm, but there was no question about it as soon as I googled tips and was bombarded with pages of websites with turtorials, do’s and dont’s and tips on nailing an interview over Skype.

Including, still dress professionally, be in a quiet room (beware of the background barking dog) and do it in a clean room! I read a hysterical story about college student interviewing for a job in a less than impressive dorm room.

Skype interviews don’t just stick to job interviews, celebrities use Skype to conduct interviews for print and even television from hotel rooms all over the world.

Most recently, the Writing for Games class right here at Montclair got a chance to Skype with the creators of Portal and Team Fortress.

Feature 11

I poked my head in the session and saw the class mesmerized, and asking questions, as the creators of the popular games were broadcast on the classroom’s widescreen. The class was being shot with a handheld camera that could be moved around to make the process easier.

There has been some criticism on the most common technical glitches Skype hasn’t fixed like the screen freezing, the metallic sound and most importantly the privacy. While many companies embrace the program, a lot of them including government agencies have banned it due to its lack of security and privacy features.

The program does not request nor verify information given when registering for an account, making it extremely easy for somebody to create a false identity. I wouldn’t be surprised if a new version is released soon, or if an even better program is introduced all together.

Improve Your Memory in Time for Finals James Carpentier Staff writer

In the coming weeks, MSU students will be studying for final exams and student-athletes will be ending the spring season sports.

Follow these memory-boosting tips for top mental and physical performance in the classroom and on the field: Get At Least Eight To Nine Hours of Nightly Sleep: Not only does a good night’s sleep promote mental alertness and energy for the day’s activities but it also enhances memory. In other words, do not pull an all-nighter – zero sleep or less than six hours of shut-eye – if you want to ace exams the next day!

Exercise: Walking, strength training, aerobics and yoga classes are wonderful physical activities to enhance blood to the brain and improve memory and alertness. Even a few 10-minute walks squeezed in throughout the day around MSU in the fresh air – instead of sitting and studying for prolonged periods in the campus library or Student Center – energizes mind and body!

Stay Hydrated: The slightest drop in fluid intake during the day saps energy and cognitive skills. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water daily – it’s the number one beverage to prevent dehydration and to stay mentally

and physically sharp!

Memory-Stimulating Foods and Beverages: Consume more brain-healthy fruits, especially blueberries – perhaps the top memory-stimulating fruit. Other “smart” fruits for optimizing memory include apples, peaches, grapes, kiwis and watermelon. Leafy-green vegetables, avocados, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, eggs, soy, seafood, nuts, seeds, oatmeal, popcorn (and other whole grains), milk, cheese and yogurt, dark and milk chocolate, green and black tea – and of course, water also benefit brain health and heighten memory.

In summary, start following these four memory-boosting tips in the upcoming weeks so you are wellprepared for that big test or big game at the end of the semester.

Make an effort to get at least eight hours of sleep most nights; take advantage of the warm spring weather and extended daylight by walking more often; drink more water (and limit unhealthy beverage choices such as soda) and focus on nutritional foods and beverages.

By following these tips, there is no reason why you should not score higher marks on exams and, if you’re an MSU athlete, perform better on the field.

12 Advertisement The Montclarion April 19, 2012

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The Montclarion

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15

Behind Every Great Man...

I

Y

Josef Trajanoski | The Montclarion

Josef Trajanoski | The Montclarion

ou know that saying: “Behind every great man there is a woman that he uses for political advantage.” That’s how it goes, right?

Well, if it isn’t, then it really should be because these days all we seem to see are politicians and celebrities using their significant others to bolster their own social status. From Barack Obama’s angry black wife to Mitt Romney’s lazy housewife and all the way back to the original pink lady, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the mark of a good man and a good leader seems to be a preternatural bachelor’s eye.

These are the “real housewives” of our political arena who, despite their best efforts, can’t seem to stake a claim in the public’s eye that will set them apart from their prestigious, status-driven husbands (except for Jackie Kennedy who looked

just fabulous in a pink Sunday dress).

Then again, many of them have only achieved any opportunity for attention as the result of marrying men with big dreams and big wallets.

These women no longer have their own identities. Their accomplishments are merely stepping stones on their husbands’ road to success but their failures, a little extra junk in the trunk or a lifetime of child-rearing, are personal struggles that they alone will overcome and turn into a best-selling memoir.

Imagine the understandably lukewarm enthusiasm in The Montclarion office upon the university’s announcement of this year’s 2012 Commencement speaker: the politically advantageous Mrs. Victoria Reggie Kennedy whose life credits include keeping guns away from children, finally tying down the infamous playboy Senator

Ted Kennedy and becoming his personal legal assistant – a job she, no doubt, was overqualified for by that point.

A quick Google search of Victoria Kennedy yields unpromising results that range from the milquetoast, a woman who has “made many choices in her life,” to the barely controversial announcement of her being uninvited to speak at Anna Marie College in Massachusetts because her liberal positions on abortion, gay rights and contraception coverage in health care don’t quite align with the Catholic church.

Further investigation produced only a short biography of a hard-working woman whose career took off through her marriage into one of the most famous families of ours and our parents’ generations.

Even since the senator’s death in 2009, her reputation isn’t her own but simply a reflection of his later life successes as shown

through the various news articles that highlight many of his achievements and says very little about the woman “behind him.”

The university’s decision to choose Mrs. Kennedy as commencement speaker isn’t exactly surprising after a long line of lessthan-stellar speakers with moderate accomplishments.

But maybe that’s just the image we are looking for these days with job placement running low and the only things steadily climbing being gas prices and the divorce rate.

Maybe what the budding graduates of Montclair State University really need is the promise that we will be able to be happy and healthy with the people we love without the continuous, desperate attempts at universal success and constant attention.

But we would still rather have Bill Nye.

Students Speak

s

What do you think about SDS’ Tent State University movement?

Leah Stark Junior Music Therapy

Diane Mangru Junior English

“I was surprised they were doing the whole ‘occupy’ thing because that fizzled out a long time ago. The Occupy movement doesn’t really get things done. It’s just more like ‘Hey! We’re here!’ I signed a petition but I don’t know what they’re going to do about it. They didn’t really have a direction.”

“The Occupy movement has “Bob Whitney has been posting gotten a lot of criticism for beon our Blackboard about going ing not specific and I get that, to Occupy events but that’s all Hannah Scherba | The Montclarion but I don’t think that camping I know about it. I really don’t out in tents is making any kind care. I have other things to of a statement.” worry about.”

Veronica Furman Sophomore Anthropology

Nick Russo Sophomore Health/ Phys. Ed. “I don’t have a problem with what is going on. I don’t really understand it completely but I think it’s good that the students are standing up for what they believe in.”

16 OPINION

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

Reality Bites, but We’re Prepared Anyway Student deftly balances on the tightrope to graduation and real life

I

t’s a strange line to be walking, that tightrope that hangs between college and “the real world,” the one that our professors Travis Lancaster and admincolumnist istrators refer to as “graduation.”

As a graduating student you don’t quite know in which direction you should be facing while trying to put one foot in front of the other.

Should your gaze be cast toward the future? Where opportunity may or may not lie; where, perhaps disappointment looms instead?

Or should you keep your neck twisted behind you — keeping an eye on all of the memories you’ve made — until your neck gets sore and arthritic?

Well, I’ll tell you, I’m only a few weeks

away from being put on the tightrope, and I don’t think I have a clear answer either which way.

As an English Major, I can only speak for a select group of individuals, but not many of us are sprinting down from the hills of Montclair filled with exuberance and high expectations.

I’ll be honest; part of me is downright frightened.

I have no idea if I’m going to get a good job; I have no idea if I’m going to be living comfortably; I don’t even know if I have a real future.

But I don’t need to tell you about this trepidation. We all know the current state of the job market — that isn’t what this article is about.

The way I see it, there are both good and bad reasons to look either ahead to the future or back to the past.

But perhaps the best way to go about it is to avoid looking in either direction and to just keep your eyes on your feet so as not to fall.

I say this for several reasons but perhaps most importantly because keeping your eyes fixed on either of these two

horizons is completely irrelevant.

John Lloyd said in his TED Talk entitled ‘John Lloyd Inventories the Invisible’: “You can’t see the future, obviously, and you can’t see the past — except in your memory.”

Some of you may argue with that notion and say, “just because you can’t see the future doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your head up,” but that isn’t what John Lloyd is trying to say.

He simply means that the future is inherently impossible to see or know; I really like this idea because I’m a staunch believer in the notion of living in the moment.

This is the treatment most often prescribed by therapists for people with high anxiety, but it applies to each and of us if you think about it.

So often are we caught between these two nonexistent worlds of past and future that we forget about the only world that truly matters: the present.

Don’t get me wrong; I understand that it is next to impossible not to worry about the troubling times that lie ahead in our world, but when you put too much insis-

tence on figuring out where you are going, you can get lost equally as bad.

I’ve had four terrific years at Montclair, and I’m 100 percent ready for whichever path I decide to go down next — be it grad school, or the terrifying prospect of looking for a real job — but I can assure you, whichever path I choose, I’m going to try to enjoy myself as much as possible along the way.

Earlier I wrote that a part of me was frightened, but I’m not frightened for the reasons I listed.

I’m not afraid of not getting a good job or not having money or not living comfortably.

What I’m most afraid of is forgetting myself and getting lost in the rat race that everyone confuses with real life.

Perhaps we need to stay on the tightrope for a bit longer, look down at our feet and when we feel the breeze try and knock us off, find our balance and keep on walking ahead.

Travis Lancaster, an English major, is in his second year as a columnist for The Montclarion.

There’s a Reason SDS is Occupying the Quad We all complain the administration doesn’t listen, so do something

A

nyone

who has walked by the Student Center Quad this week — which presumably must be all of you, that is, if you are going to class — must Dylan Soltis have noticed Columnist those tents gathered around the giant pine tree at the far end of the quad.

However, I’m sure that, like the soapbox preachers or the Hare Krishnas, most of you walked right by without a second glance.

I don’t blame you; it’s hard to know when a demonstration should actually command attention when the only time you have to decide is the few minutes you spend walking between classes.

Even if you knew that this particular demonstration is an extension of the Occupy Movement known as Occupy MSU (also, Tent State University), I wouldn’t

blame you for being just as skeptical as many people were of Occupy Wall Street.

However, this demonstration isn’t aimed at the fat-cats on Wall Street or the corruption in Congress: it’s aimed at the very issues that face students of Montclair State.

When I first approached the occupation, I was skeptical about how casual the demonstration actually was, consisting of just 10 or 15 people sitting around their tents with a couple of signs and a table covered with SDS literature.

At first glance, it would be easy to confuse Occupy MSU with your average campout. But once I started talking to some of the members of SDS (Students for a Democratic Society, the organizers of Occupy MSU) about their concerns and goals, the real purpose of Occupy MSU became clear.

Simply put, the SDS wants to raise awareness about how we, the students of Montclair State, are exploited by the Board of Trustees and the rest of the MSU administration. The posters that greet anyone who comes to their demonstration make that point abundantly clear.

One poster in particular that caught my

eye showed each member of the Board of Trustees next to their corporate affiliate.

These corporations range from PSE&G (hence the PSE&G lounge in University Hall) to American Eagle Outfitters.

In any case, SDS wants the students of MSU to know that these members were appointed by the Governor of New Jersey so that they could secure lucrative contracts for their corporations using their power as members of the Board.

Essentially, our state government is trading influence in our public universities to corporate businessmen. This is just one of the many issues that Occupy MSU is trying to spread awareness about, all of which affect us dramatically as students.

Anyone with a Facebook profile or a Twitter account knows that the students of MSU are unhappy. People are transferring out every semester, and the ones who remain wish they could. Our campus life is practically non-existent, our classes (if you can get into them) are boring and there doesn’t seem to be any change around the corner.

Meanwhile, President Susan Cole and the Board of Trustees have turned a deaf ear to the problems of the students. While

the antics of the SDS may seem dramatic at times, they are the only organization on campus I have seen that is actually trying to make President Cole and the Board of Trustees listen.

If you’re tired of being dissatisfied with your experience at MSU, if you’re fed-up with the administration at this university, now is your chance to do something about it: visit Occupy MSU at the Student Center Quad before it’s too late and learn about the problems that face our community.

As for President Cole and the Board: You can build all the shiny new buildings you want, privatize every service on campus, raise tuition as high as your consciences will allow, but until you start listening to the students and turn Montclair State into a place where they can be happy, MSU will never have the reputation you keep saying it will have one day.

If you don’t believe me, just wait until you read those surveys.

Dylan Soltis, an English major, is in his first year as a columnist for The Montclarion.

Zimmerman’s Conviction Doesn’t Guarantee Justice Speculations over case fueled by media biases and prejudice

I

Sekinah Brodie columnist

n the weeks following the news about the Trayvon Martin shooting death at the hands of George Zimmerman, this case is still the topic of popular conversation

everywhere.

The media frenzy, or “circus” as some would call it, has turned this situation into one of the biggest race relations cases in many years. The details of that tragic, fateful night have been nitpicked and scrutinized by every person imaginable, and still 100 percent truth has yet to prevail.

Now, unless you have been living under a rock without access to mass media, you are aware that the wheels of justice have slowly begun to turn. Early last week, the infamous George Zimmerman was arrested, taken into custody and charged with the second degree murder of Trayvon Martin.

You may be thinking, “Well that’s what

everybody wanted, right?” That is true.

However, I have inhabited this country and lived under its justice system long enough to know that being charged and being convicted are two different things.

George Zimmerman is now in segregation as an inmate at a Central Florida jail awaiting further developments.

The fact that nearly two months later Zimmerman is finally being held accountable for his unjustified actions is utterly unacceptable.

This leads me to wonder, if not for all the public pressure, would this man even be in jail right now? Would the case have garnered the national exposure that it has, if not for protestors, rallies, marches and the overall negative response from the public? Most say probably not.

It would most likely be swept under the rug like many other tragic events of this magnitude. Though, the national exposure is helping towards the end goal being reached, rumblings of over exposure are now coming to the surface.

When I covered Trayvon after initially hearing about the case, I took every stance against Zimmerman, and I still stand by that as I believe he was wrong for murdering Trayvon.

On the other hand, I am a strong believer in there being three sides to a story —

your side, my side and the truth. In this case, Trayvon’s side, Zimmerman’s side and the truth.

Obviously we will never know Trayvon’s side, but that does not change the fact that the story from Zimmerman’s mouth has not yet been exposed to the public, by him.

Hopefully, the murky details and witness testimonies will allow the truth to surface, but until then I think we should allow Trayvon to rest in peace instead of just saying “R.I.P.” The mainstream media has over done it. But, what else is new? The simple fact that every time I turn on the news, analysts and TV show hosts are droning on for hours rehashing points that have already been made and re-analyzing old facts is getting a bit redundant. I absolutely do not want this case or Trayvon’s memory to be forgotten, but other occurrences in the world call for this country’s attention as well.

I have heard many speculations of the media blowing up this story to distract the public from “other things.” My response: This is nothing new or unheard of.

The powers that be strategically pick and choose what is news worthy and what should be hidden on the last page of their news website. It is up to us to actually do research using other sources, to find

Concerning Editorials and Columns

the stories that the mainstream does not consider news worthy and exert the same amount of energy protesting those mishaps as well.

The question stands: distraction or fair coverage? This question plagues my mind as I reminisce on how much exposure the O.J. trial received and how this case is shaping up to be very similar.

If nothing else, people must form their own opinions on George Zimmerman and the case itself along with the underlying issues that are finally “OK” to talk about.

Gather the facts and do not allow yourself to be brainwashed by the biases of the media machine.

The main thing to remember is that Trayvon Martin is dead, but the news still needs their ratings and will do whatever they can to get them.

To break away from the somber tone, it is very satisfying to know that Trayvon’s loved ones have some peace in knowing that Zimmerman is no longer terrorizing the streets.

But will justice be served? And if not, how will the public respond? Only time will tell.

Sekinah Brodie, a broadcasting major, is in her first year as a columnist for The Montclarion.

Main editorials appear on the first page of the Opinion section. They are unsigned articles that represent the opinion of the editorial board on a particular issue.

Columns are written by individuals and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Montclarion staff.

April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

OPINION 17

Technology Addicts Anonymous Can’t shake Facebook? The first step is admitting that you have a problem

H

ow many hours a day do you spend on Facebook or Twitter?

Do you have an app for that? Okay, so you mean to tell me that Raeshelle Middleton you are logging into your Columnist Facebook and Twitter applications everyday via your Blackberry, Android or iPhone and you update your status, location, emotions and thoughts every day?

Twenty years ago, in 1992, there was no Facebook, no Twitter and there were no cellphones. Today, we are living in a technological age. We can check ourselves out at the supermarket, pay bills without cash, book flights and classes as well as go shopping without leaving our homes.

We can buy music without going to a record store and we can speak with people from miles away face-to-face without physically being in front of them.

This did not happen overnight.

We have evolved into our new state of modernism. Over time we have accepted all of these great advances that seem to be a bit different than the things that are usually natural in life.

It seems that many of us, whether we’d like to admit it or not, have some sort of communication deficiency. Do we always understand each other all of the time?

Would it be realistic for us to update our statuses about our current emotions and hear the reactions of five people at once who may or may not have something in common with you? Is it realistic to constantly be in touch with all of these people at the same time without these devices?

And is this a good or a bad thing?

With technology comes a great deal of control, just as in usual conversation there is a certain amount of etiquette and ethics we may be responsible for having. Should you really be tweeting about attending doctor’s appointments? And what should we not tweet?

It may not be very smart to tweet about a break-up with an ex or an argument with a friend. It may be even worse to tweet about your boss, because you never know

who’s watching. Security options can go only so far in a public domain.

Keep in mind the amount of friends that you have on these social networks that will see this. Maybe some things are best communicated with only your personal circle.

Technology is a great aid of assistance, which must be used with discipline. Don’t let it separate you from appreciating the simple things in life or catching a whiff of the real world. It is so easy to get attached to living a life in a daze of technology.

Don’t go out for dinner but instead invite some friends over and try to do some cooking. Fifty years ago, this is what many did in the early stages of entertainment.

Although we have made great accomplishments and evolved as a society how many times has this gotten in the way of allowing us to truly find what we enjoy enough for us to allow it to be who we are?

Instead of tweeting about how sad you feel, maybe you should tell the person that has made you feel that way instead. Lots of people vent their emotions into the digital abyss allowing enough statuses to pile up

enough so that someone has a superficial perception of you in their heads.

The first key to problem solving is identifying the problem.

If you are convinced that you don’t have a problem then maybe this is not for you.

I’m very sure that there are a lot of others who know that they are just as equally as guilty of it as anyone else. Always remember that actions speak louder than words.

It is not what you can prove about yourself to others but what you can prove to yourself. Take note of the ways in which you have used technology and think; has this distracted me from anything important?

Raeshelle Middleton, an English major, is in her first year as a columnist for The Montclarion.

Reincarnation or Just a Celebrity Look-A-Like?

Transforming lives everywhere since the B.C. era

H

as anyone ever told you that you look like someone, a celebrity or a common person, who has passed away?

Has anyone ever said that Steph Milot your actions Chief Copy Editor and personality resemble a certain animal? If so, you might call the person crazy, but I don’t think crazy is the right adjective — a better one is intuitive.

You are probably wondering where this discussion is headed, well, I have one word for you: reincarnation. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines reincarnation as the “rebirth of the soul in another body,” which may explain the likeness in appearance or behavior to another creature, human or animal.

Being a skeptic or even a non-believer in reincarnation is understandable, but I want to shed some light as to why I am a believer — or, I admit, a wishful thinker —

of this phenomenon’s existence.

For as long as I can remember, I have believed in reincarnation. Honestly though, the only evidence to support my belief is what I have observed in myself.

I have always loved cats, and strangely, aspects of my personality reflect the qualities of a cat — allow me to explain.

Cats are known to be lazy creatures; their daily routine consists of little more than eating and sleeping. When it is time for a cat’s afternoon nap, she’ll often snuggle up to a source of heat such as a window on a warm, sunny day. I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere, and I am notorious for taking naps with the sun beaming down either in my house or outside on my deck or at the beach. Also, just as a cat might be nervous around strangers but warm and friendly around the people she trusts, my personality adapts to my environment — I am often shy and distanced around people I do not know well, yet I am very outgoing around my friends and family.

My cat-like qualities and love for cats appear to be coincidental, but I think the reasoning is reincarnation. To me, the most logical explanation is that I was a cat in a past life, and part of a cat’s soul currently

resides in me. I admit that my rationale about this topic is slightly unconventional (and perhaps insane), but I think the possibility of reincarnation is just as legitimate as the argument that people simply have chance-similarities with other people and animals. Some scholarly research furthers my belief in rebirth transformations.

Reincarnation is associated primarily with, but not limited to, cultures in ancient India, Greece and Egypt. A cultural group of sub-Sahara Africa known as the Zulu holds strong to the principle of reincarnation. “The Zulu hold that the spirit of each person undergoes numerous rebirths in the bodies of various beasts, which range in size from tiny insects to huge elephants, until at long last the spirit enters a human body where it is fated to undergo yet another birth. Finally, after reaching the pinnacle of human existence, the soul is united with the supreme spirit from which it originated in the beginning,” as explained by scholar J. Bruce Long in the Encyclopedia of Religion.

It is reasonable that humans and animals experience transformations or rebirths because of the theory of mankind’s evolution — I may have opened a

can of worms by mentioning evolution, and that controversial theory is to be saved for another day — I digress. Many will agree that we all transform in some way through maturity and knowledge gained through life experiences, so why would it be inconceivable to believe that in a past life we have been (or in a future life we will be) another person or an animal?

Long states that “the spirit of each person undergoes numerous rebirths in the bodies of various beasts,” so is it possible that reincarnation is an emphasized representation of the changes we experience in one lifetime? In our lives, we may change our taste in music, our fashion, our hobbies and our social groups to eventually find our true selves. Does anyone see this connection? I see it.

My belief in reincarnation is just that, my belief. This article is not intended to preach religious customs or faith to anyone because that’s not my style. But who knows, in another life maybe I was or will be a preacher — food for thought, huh?

Steph Milot, an English major, is in her first year as chief copy editor for The Montclarion.

THE MONTCLARION MAILBAG Dear Editor, Floyd Hall Arena may start losing figure skating talent, and business, after new contracts.

Floyd Hall Arena, one of the largest ice skating facilities in New Jersey based in Little Falls, has offered new contracts to its figure skating coaches, a move that may end Floyd Hall’s decade of being a home to the most advanced athletes in the region.

A new contract, which administration of the rink wants to be signed by April 20, may force professional athletes to other

facilities, potentially giving new business to rinks, such as R. J. Codey Arena, West Orange, NJ and others.

The contract essentially forces highly successful coaches to share student skaters with other, not so popular coaches against wishes of the students and their parents.

This may increase business for coaches that are connected to the administration, but would most likely discourage talents.

This undermines the very foundation of American society based on free choice and open competition.

Anton Nimenko is one of those successful coaches and his 20 students that

will most likely be affected. His skaters include Christopher Won, 21, U.S. National competitor and 2011 Northeast Regional Champion in Senior level, Matej Silecky, 18, 2010 U.S. Regional Champion in Junior level and 2011 silver medalist in Junior, and Anastasia Kononenko, the silver medalist at Ukraine’s 2011 National competition and member of Team Ukraine.

Floyd Hall Arena’s figure skating reputation spans the globe. Alexey Mishin, the world’s greatest figure skating coach whose skaters include three-time Olympic champions Yevgeniy Pliushchenko and Alexey Yagudin of Russia, selected the

The Montclarion Mailbag Policy

arena for his U.S. coaching tour in 2007.

It is the support of the figure skating from the administration of Floyd Hall Arena that will give local children an opportunity one day to successfully compete against some of the world’s greatest figure skaters. It would also bring fame and glory to the arena located on the campus of Montclair State University.

-Oleh Borsuk

All letters must be typed via e-mail and be submitted to The Montclarion by Monday at 9 p.m. Once received, letters or comments are the property The Montclarion and Montelican Publishing, Inc. and may be edited for length, content, profanity and libel. No submissions will be printed unless they include the author’s name, year and major for students, the author’s name and title for non-students or a username for online comments. Only one letter or comment by an author will be printed each month. Letters and comments must pertain to issues addressed by Montclarion articles that occured in the previous print issue.. Letters or comments that advertise for a business or website will not be printed. Letters must be submitted through e-mail as Microsoft Word documents to msuopinion@gmail.com.

18

The Montclarion

Arts & Entertainment

MSUArts@gmail.com

The Long-Awaited Debut of Fez Not your mom’s 2D 8 bit adventure!

Fez takes full advantage of its interesting mechanics to deliver a fun, unique game.

Thomas Meyer Staff Writer

After five years of constant development, demos at various game trade shows, receiving awards from those game trade shows and even having this process feature prominently in the documentary Indie Game: The Movie, Fez is now available on digital distribution shelves by indie developer Polytron.

It seems fitting that Fez is about as complex as its storied development cycle. You

play as Gomez, a white creature secluded in a little sky village who receives a magical fez from a mysterious floating cube. The cube then shatters into many shards and creates a rift in the fabric of the world. Gomez must search the world for these shards and restore balance.

At first, Gomez lives in a two-dimensional world and abides by the static environment. His neighbors are also aware of their 2D existence and are wary of any other dimensional possibility, such

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

as by calling cubes “devil squares.” Gomez receives his magical fez and with it he has the power to shift the perspective of the world to the left and right by 90 degrees. The world becomes a two-dimensional plane in a three-dimensional space.

Shifting between perspectives is the main game mechanic of Fez as you warp the environment to uncover new platforms and make inaccessible platforms much closer to jump towards. Light and shadows differentiate the

platforms from the environment, so there is not much second-guessing to what is and is not land. Later on, you’ll discover pivots that change the layout of the stage in more subtle ways, such as controlling water and climbable surfaces.

There are 32 yellow cubes to collect, each cube comprising of eight shards, which are easily attainable by traversing platforms and solving environmental puzzles.

Shifting the perspective flows quickly and naturally, and I was not disoriented, even after six hours of playing.

Backtracking through past levels did disorient me though, as many stages have multiple doors that lead to other stages and rooms.

Sometimes it took me a few tries before I found the correct door to lead me where I wanted to go. Couple that with a 3D map of the world that makes you look around it, instead of at it, and traveling on a specific path becomes more convoluted while you discover more areas.

This factor is only a small problem because there is joy to exploring each stage as you shift around to see all the possibilities and secrets to uncover against pleasant 8-bit chiptune ambient music. Along with yel-

low shards, there are also 32 blue anti-cubes, treasure maps and artifacts to collect which require you to solve more obtuse puzzles such as placing blocks in a certain order or deciphering the game’s iconography.

These obtuse puzzles were the biggest challenge of Fez as I came across room after room of nothing but Tetris-styled pieces and other icons sketched into the walls. These puzzles were frustrating until I found hints from other rooms or gradually peeked at Internet message boards. These puzzles are very hands-on but rewarding once solved.

It took me about six hours to initially finish Fez, but I was close to halfway done finding every collectible. After beating the game though, there is a new game plus an option with new features that further distort your perspective of the world — the game is honestly too cool to spoil the features.

Fez is a great puzzle game for those who are willing to search every corner and go beyond convention for the answer.

Fez is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

Coachella: Generation Y’s Woodstock A-list celebrities and a performance from Tupac!

Raeshelle Middleton Staff Writer

Excited fans, camping and live music is what makes the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. You can think of it as the west coast version of Woodstock for generation Y. Taking place in Indio, California, next to the town of Coachella, the event began last weekend from April 13 to 15 and will resume this weekend from April 20 to the 22. The stage was swept by new and veteran musicians this past weekend. Coachella seems to be a melting pot of musical influences mixed with the selection of musical choice preferred by today’s youth. The campgrounds at Coachella are swamped with college students who have come from both near and far to join the phenomenon.

There were many familiar faces to take the stage, including David Guetta, The Weekend, Radiohead, Swedish House Mafia, Santigold, Gotye, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

One of the most unexpected appearances was made by a digital hologram figure of the late rapper Tupac. He and Snoop Dogg were able to perform along side each other again for the first time in 16 years since Tupac’s passing. Although the thought of it could seem quite eerie, this stage performance has illustrated the advancement and the capabilities of modern technology for this era. This performance served as a tribute to Tupac, which left fans

This year’s Coachella featured a special appearance by Tupac. Next year: Elvis!

gawking at the fact that he was able to join them as he approached the stage screaming, “What is up Coachella!”

This was no ordinary performance but a technological wonder. It is a projected three-dimensional figure actually created through light.

A life-sized, light charged, hologram displayed a full body animation of the rapper and even emphasized muscle definition and tattoos. This digital creation performed with mortal stage movements, hopping around the stage just as an actual person would. The impeccably designed car-

toon showed great detail and very much resembled him.

Special effects company, Digital Domain, is the mastermind behind the production. They are the creative professionals responsible for the generation of effects in movies such as Aeon Flux and I, Robot. Whether or not you are interested in rap music you would be able to appreciate this great visual.

A-List celebrities including Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan also showed their faces at this star-studded event. Although the first weekend has come to a conclusion, there are still many

Photo courtes.y of soundbuzz360

acts preparing for their turn to grace the stage this coming weekend. Coachella is an annual music festival that attracts fans of various genres.

Crowds gather to enjoy the show by day as many guests camp in tents overnight to wake up and join the party over the course of three days.

This event exemplifies today’s modern popular culture as a whole, allowing one to recognize that the possibilities are limitless in the future of the entertainment industry. Being part of the new millennium, we have experienced an era where our daily lives have been

filled with the combination of technology and music for quite sometime. Having the opportunity to download music, the entertainment industry has changed forever.

We are able to see a noticeable change in music from the use of auto-tune vocals to the thriving electronic sound of dubstep that has crossed all musical borders from rap to reggae to house music. All of these elements come together as one during this event to create a reflection of the era.

Acts perform nonstop from noon to midnight.

Coachella streams live performances from YouTube.

The Montclarion • April 119,2012

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The Montclarion •April 19,2012

The Legend of Korra Delights Avatar Fans Series sequel doesn’t disappoint

Nick Taylor Asst. Copy Editor

Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino are doing something that hasn’t been done since the 1990s. In this case, they are taking Nickelodeon by storm with an animated series that was anticipated by children and adults alike. The Legend of Korra follows the Avatar, a supernatural human that can “bend” the four elements of his or her fantasy phlogiston world: water, earth, fire and air. This “bending” gives a person the ability to control the environment, displayed in spectacular martial arts. As with any other superhero, the Avatar is required to restore balance to the world. This world is influenced by many Eastern cultures, East Asian and Inuit playing a significant role.

The series is a continuation of Konietzko and DiMartino’s previous success, Avatar: The Last Airbender, which won multiple Annie Awards, an Emmy Award and Nickelodeon’s first Peabody Award. It has had a significant following, with a large chunk of its fans being far outside the show’s ages six to eleven demographic. The Last Airbender followed a similar plot, as it revolved around Aang, a pre-pubescent male airbender who embeds his place in history for infiltrating a century-long world takeover by the imperial Fire Nation.

The Legend of Korra takes place seventy years after the series finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The late Avatar of the last series, Aang, established Republic City in postproduction, where most of the plot is set. Korra hails from the Antarcticlike Southern Water Tribe, marking

her origins as a waterbender. After passing her firebending tests, the council overseeing her progression deems her eligible to learn airbending. Because Aang was “the last airbender” in the previous series, his descendants are honored and protected in society. Tenzin, his middle-aged son and father of three, has to leave Korra behind and return to Republic City, as he is part of the municipal government. With no hesitation, Korra leaves home on her polar bear-dog, Naga, and ventures out to the much technologically advanced Republic City.

Judging the two-part episode that debuted on Saturday, the show lived up to what is expected of this series.

Exhibited in her debut in which a seven year-old version of Korra crashes through the wall like the Kool-Aid man, she is a gruff teenage girl who has no reason to hide her expressions, which explains why she is already an expert in waterbending, earthbending and firebending.

This is something that will definitely make her a fan favorite, especially how her age progression compares to Aang’s twelve year-old persona will make her more relatable toward the growing amount of teenage and young adult fans.

There is a catch, however, as Tenzin exhibits a polar opposite personality to Korra. Tenzin is strict, temperamental and untrustworthy of Korra’s actions, as her self-centered attitude gets in the way. The changes in culture and technology for Korra are significant, which land her in trouble quite a bit. When she arrives in Republic City, she takes down a gang in a sketchy neighborhood, though not without causing

The main characters of the show, Korra and her dog, Naga.

significant property damage with her multiple bending abilities. Chief Bei Fong, the commissioner of the Republic City Police, easily causes tension between her and Korra. Tenzin bails her out of prison, though not without significant punishment.

We discover that through Tenzin, airbending is a struggle for her, because his rather passive method of teaching is not enough to filter through Korra’s adrenaline-hungry mind. Though there have been only two episodes so far, her main enemy is expected to be an aggressive antibending society, headed by a mysterious mask-wearing swordsman.

The only major problem that The Legend of Korra has is that it is a

Photo courtesy of Avatar Spirit.

continuation of another series. However, it does not mean that you absolutely have to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender to understand everything. . Korra should have the same effect that Avatar had on me. Also, keep in mind that despite its anime style, the show is American-made, so don’t let the art of the show fool you. The Legend of Korra airs Saturdays at 11 a.m. on Nickelodeon, which I doubt any college student is going to wake up for.

This is a show that is truly desirable for all ages, especially adults. If you’re a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender who had no idea this was on, you should thank me very much.

RE TO GIS DA TE Y! R

The Montclarion • April 19,2012

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22 Sports

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

Baseball Win Streak Continues 20-10 after five straight

Jeff Onorato Staff Writer

MSU baseball began to slow down after their eight-game winningstreak earlier this month, dropping two of its next three as they entered a pair of two-game sets against conference opponents Rutgers-Newark and Rowan University last week.

Montclair gave senior Zach Brown the ball in the first match-up, who had a solid outing against the Scarlet Raiders, but came up short in the 4-1 defeat. Brown struck out seven in seven innings and allowed three runs, walking three.

Rutgers-Newark posted a threerun third inning, but MSU only answered with one run on a two-out double off the bat of senior Kevin Bond in the fifth. Junior outfielder Matt Moreno went three-for-four while outfielder Mickey McGraw had two base hits of his own in the loss.

Montclair’s bats woke up after the quiet first game as they blew out Rutgers 14-0 the next day in Newark.

Junior first baseman Jason Chesterman put the first run on the board in the second with an RBI single.

Montclair added two more in the third with a solo homer from Bond and an RBI single from catcher Scott Glozzy, making the score 3-0.

MSU blew the game open in the fourth with five runs, with third baseman Stephen Nappe blasting a three-run homer, his fifth of the season. Cody Pace and Tim Byron each contributed RBI hits in the big inning.

The game was 9-0 after five innings, and the Red Hawks were still out swinging. RBI singles from Pace, Bond and Moreno and a sac fly from Nappe made it 13-0. Nappe

went two-for-three with five RBIs in the afternoon. Freshman Mike Tolerico added a run in the eighth with his first hit as a Red Hawk, an RBI single to center to make it 14-0.

Bond had his second four-hit game this season as Chesterman and Glozzy each went threefor-four in the 22-hit slugfest.

Senior Jack McDonough started the game and threw eight shutout innings, striking out six and walking only one batter in his third victory this season. Sophomore Pat Golden pitched a perfect ninth to split the series over Rutgers-Newark.

Montclair’s stellar pitching continued as they went to Glassboro to sweep a doubleheader against the Rowan Profs. The Red Hawk offense wasn’t as explosive as it can be, but three runs in each game were plenty as MSU blanked Rowan in both games.

Sean Hille managed to pitch his third shutout this season. The senior left-hander struck out six and walked four in the 3-0 win, improving to 7-2 this season.

Rowan joins Ramapo and topranked Marietta College, whom Hille shut out in Florida last month.

Senior centerfielder Mickey McGraw was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the second to make it 1-0. In the third, Glozzy and Chesterman each drove in a run as the Red Hawks breezed through the first of a two-game set.

It was déjà vu all over again for the Rowan offense as sophomore Dylan Papa shut them out in the 3-0 second game. Papa earned his first victory of the season as Montclair improved to 8-2 in New Jersey Athletic Conference play, and 18-10 overall. His performance also earned him a Pitcher of the Week selection by the conference.

Men’s Lacrosse Improves to 7-5 Nick Patriarca Assistant Sports Editor

The Montclair State men’s lacrosse team continues its recent run of good form with two wins this past week over Kean University and Mount St. Vincent.

Their overall record improves to 7-5 and they remain undefeated in the Skyline Conference.

The Red Hawks were looking to improve on their unblemished conference record and push themselves above .500 overall going into their road contest at Kean University.

The defense held strong in the first half, not allowing a single goal. The offense did its job as well, posting three goals in each of the opening quarters to go into halftime with a 6-0 lead.

The offensive assault was led by freshman attack John Barney, who had all of his two goals and three assists in the first half. Kean managed to cut the MSU lead to three in the fourth quarter, but senior attack Matt Prongay put the nail in the coffin, scoring the final goal to secure an 8-4 win for the Red Hawks.

Senior goalkeeper Mark Glander made eight saves and allowed only four second half goals in the winning effort. Two days following their victory at Kean, the Red Hawks traveled to Yonkers, N.Y. for a road conference match-up against the College of Mount St. Vincent.

They put on their most dominating performance of the season, routing the Dolphins by a score of 22-3.

Senior attack Tyler Meth had his seventh four-goal game of the season and was one of 15 Red Hawks to register a goal in the contest. Prongay, Jack Skeels, Michael Jevic and Joe Cacciavillano each contributed two goals in the dominating effort.

The Dolphins managed to hold the

Red Hawks scoreless until midway through the first quarter when freshman midfielder Joel Van Der Wal and junior midfielder Kenneth Bogert scored 30 seconds apart to push the Red Hawks to a 2-0 lead.

Dan Cohen opened the scoring for the Dolphins just minutes later to cut the lead in half. The Red Hawks would respond with the next 11 goals and went into halftime with a 13-2 lead. Their dominance would continue into the second half as they outscored the Dolphins 9-1 to cruise to a 22-3 win. They dominated in every statistical category, outshooting the Dolphins 63-16, winning 23 of 28 face-offs and picking up 51 ground balls to Mount St. Vincent’s 18.

Glander became the second Red Hawk to earn Skyline Conference player of the week honors thanks to his tremendous efforts in helping the Red Hawks win six straight. Glander allowed just seven goals in his last two starts and currently leads the Skyline with a save percentage of .589.The Red Hawks will close out their season with two conference home games.

Looking to finish the regular season unbeaten in the Skyline Conference, they will host the Privateers of Maritime College on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Sprague Field. They will then close out the season this Saturday against the Mount St. Mary Knights at 1 p.m. at Sprague Field. The Red Hawks will be looking to earn the number one seed in the conference tournament as they go for their fourth consecutive conference title.

Montclair’s first run was put up in the second by junior outfielder Anthony Bowens with a sac fly. In the sixth, Bond hit a two-run homer for his fifth on the season to make it 3-0.

The pair of shutouts over Rowan made it three in a row, the first time since 1969 that MSU has thrown three straight shutouts.

Head coach Norm Schoenig was impressed, saying, “You’re lucky if you split” a doubleheader on the road with a team like Rowan’s.

Setting the feat aside, the team agrees that winning both games is what mattered most.

“This is the best staff I’ve ever been on,” Jack McDonough said, commenting on their recent success.

McDonough tried to make it four straight shutouts for Montclair when they took on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday, but the scoreless streak ended when RPI scored two runs in the fourth. This would be all from the opposition as MSU ran away with another blowout, a 15-2 victory.

Montclair scored in all but one inning, the biggest being a five-run first. Walks and wild pitches played a big role in the frame, ultimately being topped off with a two-out bases loaded single from Tim Byron. The sophomore rightfielder and Bond added RBI doubles in the third to make it 9-0. Byron went three-for-three with four RBIs in the milestone win for Schoenig, who reached 700 career victories in his 25th season at MSU. At the moment, Schoenig is not focusing on his career achievement, stressing the importance of Montclair’s 19th win this season.

The team is only looking ahead, one game at a time. “We’ve got to keep going,” said Schoenig.

Coming up short in their first three

seasons, the seniors are confident as they approach season’s end, along with the NJAC tournament.

“I’ve never been around a team that has worked as hard as we do,” senior Mickey McGraw said. “We truly want it and we’ve got the makings of a really good team.” Montclair’s leadoff batter added that they’re “gonna be dangerous” when it comes time for the “N-Jack” tournament, as they call it, and beyond.

Montclair won their fifth straight against Johns Hopkins on Wednesday night, 11-2.

The Red Hawks take on William Paterson on Thursday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m. at Yogi Berra Stadium. They head to Wayne on Friday for their second game as they continue NJAC conference play.

Current Record 20-10 (8-2 NJAC)

_________________ April Games 4/19 vs. WPU 4/20 @ WPU 4/21 vs. Stockton 4/24 vs. York College 4/26 vs. NJCU 4/27 @ NJCU 4/28 vs. Salisbury

Red Hawks Win Big with Two 20-Point Games Steve Ricci Staff Writer

Coming off a tough loss to The College of New Jersey, the women’s lacrosse team looked to bounce back with a win facing Skyline Conference rival Mount St. Mary College last Thursday. They did just that, putting up 20 goals and only giving up five to Mount St. Mary’s. With the win, Montclair State University improved to 4-1 in the conference and 8-4 overall.

The Red Hawks came out firing when Maggie Fallon put the first ball in the net just two minutes into the game. Goals by Krissa Henderson, Kailee Beal and Cora Delfini followed within a span of 31 seconds giving the Hawks a commanding 4-0 lead five minutes into the game. St. Mary’s would cut the lead to 6-3, but Montclair rattled off 12 straight goals after that, seven of which came in the final 16 minutes of the first half, giving the Red Hawks a 13-3 lead at the break.

Freshman attack Tierney Conlon posted a ten-point game with three goals and seven assists while Delfini helped with four goals of her own as Montclair State made easy work of Mount St. Mary.

The sight of Skyline Conference Mount St. Vincent came and went for the Montclair women’s lacrosse team when they posted 20 goals for the second game in a row in a 20-8 victory. Conlon tallied a total of 11 points with four goals and seven assists while Beal and Delfini each put four balls past the goalie as Montclair State rolled to its second straight win. The win gave MSU their ninth overall victory and they improved to 5-1 in conference play.

MSU jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first ten minutes of the game. Krissa Henderson got the scoring spree only

24 seconds into the game. The Dolphins brought the score to 10-4, but Montclair would tally all four scores to end the first half with a 15-4 lead.

MSU registered 20 goals on 31 shots in the contest. Beal added eight draws, Delfini added four and Kelly Schoneveld and Kelcie Wavra scored three apiece as Montclair won 22 of the 30 draws in the game.

Junior Tiffani Henderson stopped seven shots before giving way to Melissa Farrell who made two in the final two minutes of the game.

Current Record 10-4 (6-1 Skyline) _________________ Remaining Games 4/21 @ Maritime 5/2 vs. Rowan

____________________

Statistics Tierney Conlon 29 goals, 48 assists Kailee Beal 42 goals, 13 assists Cora Delfini 39 goals, 15 assists Kelly Schoneveld 36 goals, 4 assists Maggie Fallon 22 goals, 13 assists Tiffani Henderson 106 saves

™ & © 2003 Th

April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

Eats flies. Dates a pig. Hollywood star.

LIVE YOUR DREAMS Pass It On. www.forbetterlife.org

1/2 OFF 9/1/12

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24 Sports

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

NBA Playoffs are Right Around the Corner Corey Aron Staff Writer

The NBA Playoffs are approaching with the last week of the regular season around the corner. The NBA was in a lockout over the summer, involving disagreements between the players association and the owners. The season started two months late due to the stalemate, beginning on Nov. 26 instead of late October.

The new labor deal reached a tentative agreement that heavily favors the owners for the next ten seasons.

The season was reduced from the standard 82 games to 66 games, which required teams to play four to five games per week in order to start the playoffs on time.

Cramming all of these games within three and half months has certainly taken its toll on many of the superstar players in the league.

Last year’s MVP, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, has had a lingering injury to his ankle which has forced him to miss more than a third of the season. Kobe Bryant has had a sore shin, but it doesn’t appear to be serious enough to prevent the 16-year vet from potentially leading his Los Angeles Lakers to the promised land.

The most vulnerable player that will be kept a close eye on is the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard.

Howard has been constantly under trade speculation all season and has even expressed his displeasure with head coach Stan Van Gundy. He and the Magic now have a much more serious problem on their hands. Howard has been sidelined for the next couple of weeks with a herniated disc in his back and it could jeopardize his ability to help his team make a run for the playoffs. Jeremy Lin of the New

Photo Courtesy of jocksandstilettojill.com

The Western Conference All-Stars pose for a picture during the 2012 All-Star break. Blake Griffin, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant are all on teams that are in the hunt for a playoff spot York Knicks, who took the NBA by storm with his “Linsanity,” has been shut down with a knee injury, possibly for the remainder of the year.

A player who hasn’t suffered any ailments and hasn’t skipped a beat is the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant. Durant has taken his game to the next level of superstardom, and he and his partner in crime, point guard Russell Westbrook, has led his team to a 44-17 record. They’re tied for the best record in the Western Conference with the “ageless” San Antonio Spurs.

As for the defending champs of last season, the Dallas Mavericks are fighting to maintain one of the eight playoff spots in competition with the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz which are all within two and half games

to secure the last two playoff spots.

The Memphis Grizzlies are holding onto the fifth spot, ensuring they will make the playoffs for a second straight year.

There is also Los Angeles’ other team that plays in the Staples Center, the Clippers. They beat out their hometown rival Lakers in acquiring Chris Paul, who has revitalized their team by throwing up alleyoops to young phenom Blake Griffin.

As for the Eastern Conference, the Big three on the Miami Heat look to live up to their high expectations.

Lebron James is making yet another MVP case for himself, but the only thing he has in his mind is to win an NBA title. Maybe this will be the year that he will prove to his naysayers out there that he can get it done

when the game is on the line. Out in Beantown, Doc Rivers’ Celtics had gotten off to a slow start, but have climbed up to fourth in the standings while getting hot at the right time.

The roller coasting Knicks and the scrappy Philadelphia 76ers are both tied for the last two spots to clinch a playoff seed, but the Milwaukee Bucks have been fighting all year, trailing behind two games. The surprising Indiana Pacers and the Atlanta Hawks have solidified their spots and are now playoff bound as well.

Despite there having been a lockout, fans have to be thankful for the fact that a season happened after all.

The players are taking a large hit in their salaries, but at the end of the day, they just want to play the game that they love and to make fans happy.

April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

sports

25

NFL Draft More Tense Than Ever Both Luck and Griffin are worthy of being #1 Taylor Zuppa Staff Writer

With the 2012 NFL draft quickly approaching, all eyes are on quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor. There is no doubt that they will be the first and second overall picks, but it is still questionable who will actually be number one.

The Indianapolis Colts have the first pick of the draft and, after a hefty trade, the Washington Redskins obtained pick number two.

Recently, the two teams offered each quarterback a private workout at their respective facilities.

Luck worked out for both teams, but Griffin’s agent denied Indianapolis a workout.

Between that and the recent sightings of Griffin signing Redskins apparel for fans, I think it’s safe to say that Griffin wants no part of the Indianapolis franchise.

From what I can tell, he’s going to get his wish. There is no doubt that Luck will be drafted first overall.

Griffin may look better on paper, as he has generally better stats than Luck with a higher pass completion percentage, more touchdowns and fewer interceptions, but the one thing that puts Luck ahead of Griffin is the stuff you don’t see on paper: the intangibles.

This is not to say that Griffin lacks intangibles, just that Luck has more.

Luck is praised and known for his intelligence, both on and off the field.

According to ESPN, Luck called 70 percent of the plays himself at the line, which is unheard of at the college level.

Most football experts, such as Todd McShay, note that Luck is a solid decision-maker and reads a defense well.

Griffin is given the edge in athleti-

cism. He rushed for 700 yards and had 10 rushing touchdowns this past season. He’s a scrambler and quick on his feet, and he’s been compared to Michael Vick when Vick played for Virginia Tech, who rushed for almost 600 yards and eight touchdowns his redshirt freshman year.

However, this is not to take away from Luck’s athletic ability, which is an afterthought when compared to Griffin. Luck ran a 4.67 second 40-yard-dash at the NFL scouting combine earlier in April, which exactly matched that of last year’s number one overall pick, Cam Newton, who is praised for his athleticism as a quarterback. According to some ESPN sports writers, it would be one of the all-time biggest draft surprises if Indianapolis decides to go with Griffin instead of Luck.

Due to all of the hype surrounding Luck and Griffin, the other quarterbacks in the draft seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle. The projected next few quarterback picks are definitely up for debate. The general consensus is that Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill and Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden will be the next two selected, but their order is uncertain.

Both of these quarterbacks have some major downfalls. Weeden, who was originally drafted as a pitcher by the New York Yankees out of high school, is now 27 and just graduating college. This puts him five years behind the rest of the quarterbacks in the draft.

Teams take age into serious consideration, especially in the early rounds, where teams look to draft franchise quarterbacks. Weeden has, at best, eight good years on him, whereas any other quarterback coming out of the draft has at least ten.

Photo Courtesy of chalkthemup.com

Experts have Andrew Luck as one of the highest rated prosepects in NFL history.

The one thing his age gives him is experience. He is polished, talented and is able to play right out of college.

Tannehill, on the other hand, had only played quarterback at the college level for two years.

He originally was a wide receiver at A&M, with over 100 combined catches his first two years.

During his junior year he earned the starting quarterback position halfway through the season and con-

tinued on in 2011, throwing almost 3,800 yards and 29 touchdowns.

As it’s been proven in the past, the most classic example being Tom Brady, who was picked 199 overall in 2000, where players are drafted is not the end all be all.

In the end, all this speculation can only go so far and so many more things other than facts and figures factor into who will perform, and who will fall short.

Andrew Luck Career Info School: Stanford Height: 6”4’ Weight: 235 lbs Position: Quarterback 2009 Stats:

162 completions, 2575 yds, 13 TD, 4 INT

2010 Stats: 263 completions, 3338 yds, 32 TD, 8 INT

2011 Stats: 288 completions, 3517 yds, 37 TD, 10 INT

Total Stats: 713 completions, 9430 yds, 82 TD, 22 INT

____________________________________

Robert Griffin III Career Info School: Baylor Height: 6”2’ Weight: 220 Position: Quarterback 2008 Stats:

160 completions, 2091 yds, 15 TD, 3 INT

2009 Stats: 45 completions, 481 yds, 4 TD, 0 INT

2010 Stats: 304 completions, 3501 yds, 22 TD, 8 INT

2011 Stats: 291 completions, 4293 yds, 37 TD, 6 INT

Total Stats: 800 completions, 10366 yds, 78 TD, 17 INT

26 Sports

The Montclarion • April 19, 2012

NEW COURSE:

CREATIVE THINKING CHANGE YOUR MIND FOREVER

SUMMER SESSION: May 14 - June 7, 2012 Limited Space Available!

Access and harness the creative side of your brain: Creative Thinking (CRTH-151) invites you to explore theoretical and experiential approaches to understanding the creative process. The course will include interactions with visiting artists and thinkers and will pull from a variety of disciplines, including the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and performing arts. Creative Thinking is a 3-credit elective open to all students.

Instructor: Dr. Ashwin Vaidya (Physics) with support from: Dr. Jerry Fails (Computer Science), Dr. Mika Munakata (Mathematics), Dr. Tiger Roholt (Philosophy), Dr. Debbie Saivetz (Theater Studies), Dr. Marissa Silverman (Music), Dr. Yawei Wang (Marketing) Guest instructors: visionary stage director Robert Wilson, choreographer/MacArthur Fellow Liz Lerman, artist/theorist/systems designer Iain Kerr

Summer Session Registration Begins April 9 Registration for visiting students begins April 18 To register: Montclair.edu/summer | For more information: peakperfs.org/creativethinking

Creative Thinking is a program developed by a multidisciplinary working group of Montclair State faculty in collaboration with the Office of Arts & Cultural Programming and the Research Academy for University Learning. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Question of the Week

April 19, 2012 • The Montclarion

Which sport has the most exciting playoffs?

Nick Patriarca Assistant Sports Editor

Nick Verhagen Sports Editor

Jason Hrina Assistant Sports Editor

The marathon that is the NHL playoffs has proven to be the most exciting postseason in sports. The NBA may have a similar format, but unlike the NBA, I feel like every hockey team has a realistic chance to bring home the cup.

We see lower seeds upset higher seeds all the time, and the sport is fueled by its passionate fans and rivalries. Players leave it all on the ice during the playoffs, and it makes for fast-paced, hard-hitting action. There is nothing more exciting than seeing your team score an overtime goal in the playoffs.

Hockey is an exciting sport during the regular season, so when you add pressure and a prize, it gets even more intense. There is just something about it that makes it much more fun to watch than the regular season. For most sports, the playoffs are the most exciting because the season is boring, but with hockey, the entire year is action-packed. Rivalries form during playoff games and they get even more intense as the series progresses. I love football and baseball but hockey takes the cake.

Hockey has begun to show just how exhilarating a playoff game can be. Between the brawls, tension and passion, it’s hard to ignore the dedication each player has for their team.

However, there is nothing better than a sudden death NFL playoff game. You aren’t allowed to have a bad game or make a costly mistake and there are no second chances. The do-or-die feeling behind each game makes football the premiere playoff experience.

Unless the World Cup qualifies; then it’s an entirely new answer.

Who’s Hot This Week

sports

Baseball Kean MSU Ramapo WPU TCNJ Rowan Stockton RU-Newark RU-Camden NJCU

NJAC

Overall

8-2 8-2 6-4 6-4 6-4 4-6 4-6 4-6 3-7 1-9

23 - 7 18 - 10 21 - 7 22 - 8 18 - 13 19 - 11 16 - 13 14 - 15 12 - 18 11 - 18

This Week 4/19 vs William Paterson 3:30 p.m.

4/20 @ William Paterson 3:30 p.m.

4/21 vs Richard Stockton (DH) 11:30 a.m.

4/24 vs York College of PA 3:30 p.m.

Last Week 4/12 RU-Newark 4, MSU 1 4/13 MSU 14, RU-Newark 0 4/14 MSU 3, Rowan 0 4/14 MSU 3, Rowan 0 4/17 MSU 15, RPI 2

Softball NJAC

Mark Glander Goalkeeper — Lacrosse Glander made eight saves in a pivotal 8-4 Skyline conference victory against second-place Kean and four more during the first-half in a 22-3 rout of Mount Saint Vincent. Glander was named the Skyline Conference Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week.

Alex Hill Starting Pitcher — Softball Hill recorded her seventh shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory against Number 17 ranked Rowan. She struckout seven and allowed only four hits with zero walks.

Hill is 17-0 on the season with a 0.00 ERA. Hill would also hit the eventual game-winning run, helping her own cause with an RBI single in the first inning to give the Red Hawks a 1-0 lead.

Game of the Week Men’s Lacrosse vs. Mount Saint Mary April 21, 1 p.m.

The Men’s Lacrosse team plays their final game of the season when they host conference rival, Mt. St. Mary on Saturday.

Montclair is currently in first place (4-0; 7-5) in the Skyline Conference For updates, check out: www.montclairathletics.com @TheMontclarion on Twitter

27

MSU Kean WPU Rowan Ramapo TCNJ RU-Camden Stockton NJCU RU-Newark

9-1 8-2 7-3 6-4 6-4 6-4 3-7 2-8 2-8 1-9

Overall 28 - 3 19 - 11 22 - 6 26 - 5 21 - 5 17 - 11 10 - 13 19 - 9 11 - 19 12 - 17

This Week 4/19 vs Centenary College 4/21 @ RU-Camden 4/24 vs Ramapo

3 p.m.

1 p.m.

3 p.m.

Last Week 4/12 MSU 2, NYU Poly-Tech 1 4/12 NYU Poly-Tech 7, MSU 4 4/14 MSU 2, Rowan 0 4/14 Rowan 11, MSU 7 (8 innings) 4/17 MSU 1, Kean 0 4/17 MSU 5, Kean 4

Men’s Lacrosse Skyline

Overall

MSU

4-0

7-5

Kean

3-1

9-5

Stockton

3-2

6-7

Farmingdale

2-2

4-8

Maritime

2-2

3 - 11

Mt. St. Mary

1-3

7-7

Mt. Saint V.

0-5

7-9

This Week 4/21 vs Mount St. Mary

1 p.m.

Last Week 4/12 MSU 8, Kean 4 4/14 MSU 22, Mt. Saint Vincent 3 4/18 MSU, Maritime

Women’s Lacrosse NJAC

Overall

TCNJ

4-0

11 - 3

MSU

2-1

9-4

Kean

2-1

8-5

Rowan

1-1

7-6

Ramapo

1-3

5-7

RU-Camden 0 - 4

4-7

This Week 4/21 @ Maritime

4 p.m.

Last Week 4/12 MSU 20, Mt. St. Mary 5 4/14 MSU 20, Mt. St. Vincent 8 4/18 MSU, Kean

Incoming quarterbacks have teams fighting for top picks p. 26

Check out TheMontclarion.org Every game matters as NBA playoffs are closing in on Monday for Recaps of this Weekend’s Games MontclarionSports@gmail.com

p. 24

Softball Reaches 30 Wins on the Season Alex Hill increases personal record to 17-0 hit

Mike Panepinto Staff Writer

The MSU softball team showed their grit and character by sweeping a huge home doubleheader against rival Kean University this Tuesday, winning two one-run games by 1-0 and 5-4 scores, pushing the Red Hawks’ record to 30-3 overall and 11-1 in the NJAC. MSU is currently ranked 15th nationally in Division III and fourth in the Eastern Region. The 30-win total marks the 16th time in program history that 30 wins have been reached and this season is the 13th time in the last 18 seasons.

Sophomore pitcher Alex Hill was the Red Hawk of the day as she notched both wins from the pitcher’s circle and drove in the winning and only run in the first game.

In a masterfully commanding game one effort, Hill picked up her 18th win of the season by going the distance, allowing only two hits, no runs, no walks and striking out ten. She only faced two batters over the minimum for a perfect game.

Hill helped herself at the plate in the bottom of the first inning as her single up the middle drove in center fielder Shannon Mozek who led off MSU’s first at bat with a single and moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt by left fielder Jamie Paulino. Hill led the MSU attack with two hits and one RBI while Mozek and infielder Alisha Cumberton had one hit each. The Kean Cougars’ center fielder Maria Scopellito and right fielder Megan Legielski had one single each.

In game two, MSU held off a late Cougar rally and won 5-4. Hill went the distance on the mound by raising her record to 19-1 on the season. Her pitching line read six hits, four runs, one walk, two

batters and six strikeouts.

Six different players had one hit apiece to pace the MSU attack. Surprisingly, four of MSU’s six total hits were doubles. Infielder Alisha Cumberton doubled and drove in two runs. Mozek, Paulino, infielder Dana Amato, Hill and right fielder Stephanie Szeliga all hit safely as well. Kean was led by Alicia Banz who tripled and drove in two runs.

Last Thursday, the Red Hawks hosted NYU-Polytechnic in an independent doubleheader at the MSU Softball Stadium. MSU won the first game 2-1 behind another pitching gem by Hill. Her line read seven innings pitched, one earned run, two hits, one walk and ten strikeouts.

Blue Jays’ Corine Fitzgibbons, who had both hits off of Hill, started the scoring with a solo home run to left field in the top of the fourth. The Red Hawks tied the score in the bottom of the fifth after Cumberton doubled and catcher Heather Bergman doubled to drive her in.

MSU scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth as Paulino drew a lead-off walk and moved over to second on Amato’s infield single. Paulino stole third and came in with the winning run as the catcher’s throw was errant and bounced into left field.

In the second game of the home doubleheader against NYU-Polytechnic, the Red Hawks saw their 13-game winning streak snapped as the Blue Jays took the nightcap 7-4.

Tech pitcher Brianna Feist upped her record to 8-3 with relief help from Miranda Mirelli. Feist allowed six hits, four earned runs and two walks.

Mirelli allowed one hit and no other baserunners as she relieved Feist in the bottom of the seventh. Blue Jays’ Shelby Bruns had three hits including a double and scored a run from the leadoff spot. Fitzgibbons had a huge day in the three slot with three hits, a run scored and five RBIs. Two of Fitzgibbons’ hits went for extra bases

Photo Courtesy of Sports Information

Kelli O’Brien about to swing at an pitch. O’Brien is batting .287 this season. as she banged a two-run double and a three-run homerun, her ninth of the season. Jamie Miller took the pitching loss for the Red Hawks. Mozek led Montclair at the plate with two hits. Two runs scored and three RBI’s.

On Saturday, the Red Hawks hosted Rowan University in a home doubleheader. The two NJAC rivals split the series with MSU winning the opener 2-0 and losing an extra innings heartbreaker 11-7 in eight innings.

Game one saw Hill up her record to 17-0 at the time as she threw all seven innings, allowing four hits, no runs, no walks and striking out seven. MSU was paced at the plate by Hill, Paulino, Mozek and Cumberton.

Game two of the Rowan at MSU twin bill saw Rowan take a 5-2 lead into MSU’s last at bat in the bottom of the seventh. The Red Hawks struck for three runs to force extra innings

with the score tied at five. The Profs dashed MSU’s hopes of another comeback win by scoring six runs in the top of the eighth to take an 11-5 lead. The Red Hawks came up with two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the final score 11-7 in favor of Rowan.

Hill took her first and only loss of the season so far in relief of Miller.

Hill led the attack with two hits and an RBI. Also driving in runs for MSU were Mozek, Amato, infielder Katie Muglia and shortstop Tara Petrucelli.

As this week continues, the MSU softball team hosts Centenary College on Thursday at 4 p.m. On Saturday, the Red Hawks will travel to Camden, N.J. to face Rutgers-Camden in a road doubleheader with game times slated for 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. MSU returns home on Tuesday to host Ramapo College in a doubleheader with game times set at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

National Hockey League Becomes National Haymaker League Jay Hrina Assistant Sports Editor

The NHL playoffs are littered with heavy hits, possible brain damage and suspensions for contact that makes football players appear polite.

Teams have resorted to violence and destruction while the game of hockey has taken a back seat to the personal vendettas players and teams have for each other. It’s a massacre on the ice rink, yet it can’t get any better!

These playoffs have produced fights more entertaining than boxing, more passionate than soccer and more violent than a UFC match. It’s not just boys being boys; it’s the passion inside each person that brings out the intensity and primal desire to win and defend your family.

It’s exhilarating to see two teams battle in the final minutes for that deciding goal.

The closest comparison is the “two minute drill” in the final two minutes of a football game. Otherwise, the last thirty seconds in an NBA game elapse the same amount of time as an entire quarter, and the last inning of an MLB game is about as nailbiting as the previous eight innings.

I’m not applauding the violent or possibly childish way to solve a problem by fighting, but I do commend players for sacrificing themselves for the team to have a chance at a victory.

Fighting is a staple feature in a hockey game and cannot and will not be removed in the near future.

All of the effort and adrenaline that goes into each game understandably lead to both players getting rough,

but that’s what everyone is getting paid to do: Give 100 percent for each game and try to win. All of this passion and intensity is fun to watch, but not when the price is to see a guy motionless on the ice after his head was smashed against the boards.

Some of these players take the game too seriously and too aggressively. I have no problem with another player defending their teammate and picking a fight with someone for an unnecessary hit, but not when that leads to the player on the ground and a string of punches to his defenseless face.

It’s evident that hockey is the least popular sport in the New York area, but you wouldn’t know that if you were able to hear the thunderous passion Rangers and Devils fans give to support their teams.

If you judged a team by crowd

noise, you would think the Mets and even the Yankees were the least popular teams; even the Red Bulls pull a more passionate crowd than New York baseball fans.

Players and fans are extremely dedicated to their teams, and the passion they play with is unmatched by any other sport. I don’t watch hockey hoping there’s going to be a fight, but I enjoy watching two players battle the entire game with the only way to decide who was stronger or better was with the gloves off.

With everything these teams stand for, I would want my team to be composed of hockey players.

Dedicated, intense and passionate, these hockey players enjoy playing and want to win. The same can’t be said for NBA, NFL and MLB players; remember Carl Pavano, Yankee fans?